Venice Vampyr (Venice Vampyr #1)

it. She secured it tightly against the restraining hook despite her shaking hands. Not letting him out of her sight, she stepped around the bed and did the same with his other wrist.
    “Thank you,” he whispered. He tested the restraints. They held. He’d never been so vulnerable in his life. But Isabella had saved his life once, and he hoped she’d find it in her heart to not take away the life she’d given him.
    ***
    Raphael had allowed himself to be tied up, but would he truly not be able to break the restraints? What if he was lying to her? Isabella stepped around the bed, keeping close watch on him. When she reached the nightstand, she looked at the gun. From the corner of her eye she could see him watch her, but he didn’t move, made no attempt to free himself from the leather straps. But it wasn’t proof enough that he was truly tied up.
    Isabella gripped the gun and turned to him, pointing it at his chest.
    There was a flicker of surprise in his eyes, only to be replaced by disappointment. He lowered his lids. His voice was flat when he spoke. “I gambled and I lost. I had hoped your love would be strong enough, but I was wrong.” He looked at her. “I love you, Isabella. The last five days were the happiest of my entire life. I’m sorry that you don’t feel the same for me. Aim for my heart and make it quick.”
    Then he closed his eyes and inhaled.
    “Why did you allow yourself to be tied up by me?”
    “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
    “It does to me.”
    His eyes remained closed. “You’ve made your decision, my angel.”
    But she needed an answer. “Open your eyes. Look at me. Tell me why!” Isabella swallowed back a sob.
    When his eyes flew open, he pinned her with a surprised look. “You want to know why? I let you tie me because I need you to understand that I’m prepared to do anything for your love. I need you to trust that I would never harm you. And the only way I can do that is to show you that you hold all the power. And now that I’ve satisfied your curiosity, please end my misery, because a life without your love is worse than a merciful death.”
    She recognized it then: Raphael loved her, more than anybody had ever loved her. She could feel it deep in her heart. How could she kill a man like that? How could she allow this love to slip through her fingers? Did it matter that it was the love of a vampire? Yet—
    “Do you kill the humans you feed from?” She voiced the fear she carried in her heart. Was he a bloodthirsty murderer?
    “No, my love. I don’t kill unless my own life is threatened. I only feed from them.”
    Isabella exhaled the breath she’d been holding. He wasn’t a killer. She allowed her eyes to wander over his naked body, sprawled out in front of her: vulnerable, yet aroused. His tied hands didn’t look like those of a monster. They were the hands that had caressed her, given her pleasure beyond belief.
    Dropping her gaze lower, she feasted her eyes on his cock. Hard and heavy it curved upwards and lay against his flat belly. With it, he’d driven her to ecstasy every single day since she’d met him. Could she really kill somebody that perfect, simply because of what he was?
    Isabella dropped her arm and tossed the gun to the foot of the bed where it landed in the soft sheets. When she crawled onto the bed, his eyes widened. “Isabella?” There was hope in his voice.
    She closed in on him, then straddled him without another thought, before meeting his lips with hers. His startled moan was drowned out by her own.
    “My angel.”
    “Kiss me, my husband,” she whispered against his parted lips. She felt no fangs when he took her mouth in a fierce kiss, only soft lips and a hungry tongue that devoured her. She licked against him with firm strokes just the way she knew he liked it.
    Raphael broke the kiss and stared at her with those dark passion-filled eyes. “Take off your coat and shirt, and let me see your beautiful tits.”
    She divested herself of the pesky garments within seconds, only keeping her breeches, reveling in the hungry look in his eyes. When she was bare, he licked his lips. “Now feed them to me.” He looked up to meet her eyes. “I won’t bite. Not unless you want me to.” There was a hesitation in his voice, as if he was unsure if he’d said the right thing.
    “Would I want you to?” she asked, curiosity overwhelming her.
    “Maybe one day. But believe me when I tell you that even if you never let me taste your